Cow gives birth at noon Friday in Nature’s Creation of Life barn

(Publisher’s note: This story was just updated with a calf photo sent by a reader and the cows were switched. New mama photo inserted.)

Cow and boy calf.

Be sure to stop by the Nature’s Creation of Life barn and check out its newest arrival.

A cow #2167 from Horning Farm had a calf around noon Friday. (And I’ll stop by later today and update this story with another photo of it after the Fair Queen competition at 7 p.m. And, thank you so much to the reader who just sent the one in this story.)

Courtesy photo

Originally, it was hoped that she’d give birth on Tuesday night or Wednesday, but it took a little longer.

A miniature pig is also expected to have piglets before the fair ends Saturday night.

In addition, visitors can see lambs, baby chicks, goats, a Jersey cow and pigs.

And those baby chicks in the free-standing chicken coop, which was made by Boy Scout Matt Boone, 15, of Chelsea. A member of Troop 425, Boone made the enclosure as part of his Eagle Scout project.

Boone said several scouts helped him build the beautifully crafted chicken house and it took them about two weeks, working four hours at a time.

Boone said he got help from his Scout Master Mark Schroeder, who helped with the design.

Matt Boone and the chicken enclosure he built inside the Nature's Creation of Life barn.

He said earlier in the week that Lynette Powell, the superintendent for the barn, approached his scout troop before fair about building the special enclosure for this year’s special 75th anniversary.

“I’ve always liked animals and when Mrs. Powell asked us, I thought it would be a good opportunity for my Eagle Scout project,” he said.

When asked what it was like knowing that his handiwork would be seen by lots of people at the 75th Annual Chelsea Community Fair, he said, “It’s cool to come here and see something I made.”

Boone said he planned to attend the fair one or two times during the week and that yes, he’d head to the Nature’s Creation of Life barn and take a look at his project that can be used for many years to come.

For fair-goers on Saturday, be sure to stick around for one of the sheep shearing demonstrations in the special barn.

Plus visitors today and Saturday can walk out of the barn and purchase hand-dipped ice cream from the truck just outside the building. All profits will benefit Project Rural Education Days, known as Project Red which allows third-grade students from across the county to learn more about agriculture and the environment during several days of school field trips in April to the Washtenaw County Farm Council Grounds.